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Clean Water Saved My Child's Life

Marie, a young girl similar in many ways to the children in our lives, calls a small village in Central Africa home. For years, Marie suffered from a constant stream of illnesses. Her struggle began when she was two years old; she nearly died from a case of severe diarrhea.Hospital staff diagnosed Marie with intestinal parasites. After a week-long hospitalization and lots of medication she recovered. But three months later, the symptoms returned.

Marie's mother at their community's new water source!

“It was a scary time,” confesses Marie’s father. As the toddler’s parents left the hospital for the second time, they knew they’d be back unless something changed. Three months later, FH started working in Marie’s village and realized that most families were washing and drinking from the pooled water on the ground. FH staff quickly saw that the situation was dire and that access to clean water was the community’s priority. A central well was built and the walk to collect water dropped from several kilometres to several minutes. In addition to teaching well maintenance, FH staff empowered community leaders to demonstrate good hygiene practices to help families stay healthy and to prevent the spread of disease. Marie’s father was astonished at the results.

Since we started to drink this water, no one in my family has fallen sick. Now people from neighboring villages come and take water from this well because they know it is clean water and will not run out. Without this well, my kids might have died.

Stories like this are tragically common, but your generous partnership can change this reality – one community at a time! Families are moving toward health and security through a variety of water projects.

Join our summer water campaign today and you can make an unforgettable impact on a family waiting for access to clean water.